FAQs About Nurse Practitioners

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses who have additional education and nursing experience, which enables them to:

• Autonomously diagnose and treat illnesses

• Order and interpret tests Prescribe medications

• Perform medical procedures

NPs are health-care professionals who treat the whole person, an approach that includes:

• Addressing needs relating to a person’s physical and mental health

• Gathering medical history

• Focusing on how an illness affects a person’s life and family

• Offering ways for a person to lead a healthy life

• Teaching persons how to manage chronic illness

• NPs are also educators and researchers who can be consulted by other health-care team members.

NPs work in a variety of health-care settings, such as:

• Primary health care (community clinics, health-care centres, physicians’ offices and patients’ homes)

• Long-term care (nursing homes)

• Hospitals (In-patient clinics, outpatient clinics, emergency rooms and other patient areas)

• NP-led clinics

NPs provide a wide range of direct care services to people at every stage of life. In addition to treating illnesses, they teach individuals and their families about healthy living, preventing disease and managing illness. NPs bring together medical knowledge with the values and skills of nursing. NPs are also leaders, consultants and researchers who incorporate new knowledge into their practice.

NPs work with, rather than replace, other healthcare providers. They are part of a collaborative team that includes registered nurses, doctors, social workers and others.

NPs bring value to Canadians and their health-care system. Studies about these benefits and patients’ experiences tell us that NPs:

• Involve patients in decisions about their care

• Improve access to primary healthcare

• Reduce pressures on the healthcare system

• Are valued and trusted by patients

• Provide high-quality management of chronic illness (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure)

In a survey conducted by the ARNNL (2016), Newfoundlanders & Labradorians said the following about NPs:

• On a scale of 1-10, NPs scored an impressive average of 9.26, in terms of patient satisfaction.

• All things considered, 98% of people who had seen an NP would see one again.

• 90% wanted to see more NPs working in their communities.

Every province and territory has NP legislation in place. According to the latest statistics, there are over 4,000 NPs in Canada. While most are in Ontario, the NP-to-person ratio is higher in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

NPs first appeared in Canada in the 1960s. Early on, NPs provided care in rural and remote areas. By the 1970s, interest in the NP role increased and more education programs began. Today, NPs are an important part of the healthcare system.

There are over 200 registered nurse practitioners (NPs) in Newfoundland and Labrador working in most areas of the province. To find a list of all CRNNL members who hold a Nurse Practitioner license in Newfoundland & Labrador, visit https://crnnl.ca/member-search/.